Surah Fatir 35:8
سُورَةُ فَاطِرٍ · Meccan · Verse 8 of 45
أَفَمَن زُيِّنَ لَهُۥ سُوٓءُ عَمَلِهِۦ فَرَءَاهُ حَسَنًۭا ۖ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُضِلُّ مَن يَشَآءُ وَيَهْدِى مَن يَشَآءُ ۖ فَلَا تَذْهَبْ نَفْسُكَ عَلَيْهِمْ حَسَرَٰتٍ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلِيمٌۢ بِمَا يَصْنَعُونَ
Translation
What about those whose evil deeds are made alluring to them so that they think they are good? God leaves whoever He will to stray and guides whoever He will. [Prophet], do not waste your soul away with regret for them: God knows exactly what they do.
English translation: M.A.S. Abdel Haleem.
Meaning and reflection
Wording
This verse opens with a profound rhetorical question, addressed to our Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, but carrying a universal lesson for us. Allah is speaking directly, consoling the Prophet who was deeply saddened by the disbelief of those whose evil deeds were so appealing to them that they perceived them as good. The tone is one of gentle comfort and firm wisdom, reassuring the Prophet about divine will and the ultimate accountability of all actions.
The Deceptive Allure
The verse begins, "أَفَمَن زُيِّنَ لَهُۥ سُوٓءُ عَمَلِهِۦ فَرَءَاهُ حَسَنًۭا" (Does he whose evil deed is made fair-seeming to him, so he sees it as good?). The opening particle `أَفَمَن` (afaman) is an interrogative "does he?" combined with a connective "so," setting up an implied comparison. Scholars like al-Zamakhshari and al-Jalalayn explain that this is a rhetorical question, whose unspoken answer is "No, such a person is not like one whom Allah has guided." The word `زُيِّنَ` (zuyyina), meaning "made fair-seeming" or "beautified," implies that this beautification of evil (`سُوٓءُ عَمَلِهِۦ`, 'su'u 'amalihi') is not from within the person but from an external source, primarily Satan, as Ibn Ashur notes. The use of "sees it as good" (`فَرَءَاهُ حَسَنًۭا`) reveals a dangerous state: it's not just doing evil, but believing that evil is actually good. As al-Razi points out, this blindness is worse than knowing one is doing wrong, as it prevents repentance.
Divine Will and Solace
Following this, Allah says, "فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُضِلُّ مَن يَشَآءُ وَيَهْدِى مَن يَشَآءُ" (For indeed Allah causes to stray whom He wills and guides whom He wills). The connective particle `فَإِنَّ` (fa'inna) establishes this as a consequence or explanation. This statement serves as profound consolation for the Prophet. Ibn Ashur explains that it is meant to make the Prophet despair of the guidance of those who reject it, clarifying that both guidance and misguidance ultimately rest with Allah's will and wisdom. This is not arbitrary, but tied to the choices and inclinations of individuals, as Allah is the Creator of the means for both.
The Prophet's Grief
The divine counsel continues, "فَلَا تَذْهَبْ نَفْسُكَ عَلَيْهِمْ حَسَرَٰتٍ" (So let not your soul waste away in grief for them). Here, the wording is particularly poignant. Allah directly addresses the Prophet's `نَفْسُكَ` (nafsuka), his very soul, rather than just "you." Ibn Ashur highlights this unique address as a rhetorical device called *tajrid*, intensifying the prohibition against overwhelming sorrow. The verb `تَذْهَبْ` (tadhhab), meaning "to go" or "to depart," is used here in the sense of perishing or being destroyed, as if the soul would be consumed by sorrow. The word `حَسَرَٰتٍ` (hasarat) is plural, emphasizing not just regret but repeated, intense grief that could consume the Prophet. It is a loving and powerful command for the Prophet to find peace amidst the challenges of his mission.
Allah's Perfect Awareness
The verse concludes with "إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلِيمٌۢ بِمَا يَصْنَعُونَ" (Indeed, Allah is Knowing of what they do). The emphatic `إِنَّ` (inna) underscores the certainty of Allah's knowledge. The choice of `يَصْنَعُونَ` (yasna'un - 'what they *craft* or *manufacture*') over `يَعْمَلُونَ` (ya'malun - 'what they *do*') is significant. Ibn Ashur notes that `yasna'un` implies deliberate plotting and machinations against the Prophet and the Muslims. This final phrase acts as both a solace for the Prophet and a subtle warning to the disbelievers: Allah is fully aware of their intricate plans and deeds, and they will ultimately face the consequences. This knowledge should give the Prophet strength and assurance, knowing that justice will prevail.
Sources: Ibn Ashur (al-Tahrir wa al-Tanwir), al-Zamakhshari (al-Kashshaf), al-Razi (Mafatih al-Ghayb), al-Jadwal fi I'rab al-Quran (Mahmud Safi), al-Jalalayn
Topics that discuss this verse
Surah Fatir 35:8 is discussed in 6 study guides on Maani. Each guide gathers the key verses, Arabic words and lessons of one Quranic topic.
Reflect on this verse
Open Surah Fatir 35:8 in Maani to reflect on it through the Five Lenses: its wording, its context, what it means for you, its connections across the Quran and its lessons, grounded in classical tafsir.